The invention relates generally to marine propulsion devices and, more particularly, to outboard motors including a steerable and tiltable propulsion unit which includes a power head and which supports a propeller shaft driven by the power head.
Still more particularly, the invention also relates to means for vibrationally isolating the propulsion unit from a boat hull and to vibration isolating means extending between the propulsion unit and a kingpin/steering arm assembly rotatable in a tiltable swivel bracket.
In prior 9.9 and 15 horsepower outboard motors, a pair of vibration isolating assemblies similar to the vibration isolating assemblies 71 and 73 described hereinafter, were located inside a drive shaft housing and were fixed thereto by suitable bolts extending between the drive shaft housing and the exterior metallic member of the vibration isolating assemblies.
In addition, the previous outboard motor included a thrust block which was similar to the thrust block 141 described hereinafter, which was located in the drive shaft housing, and which was engagable between walls formed in recesses in the metallic outer member of the vibration isolation assemblies and a bridge member fixedly extending from the inside metallic member of the vibration isolation assemblies.
As in many past constructions, the location of the vibration isolating assemblies and thrust block within the drive shaft housing undesirably exposed the vibration isolating assemblies and the thrust block to hot exhaust gases.
Attention is also directed to the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
______________________________________ 1,999,694 Irgens September 14, 1933 2,642,829 Kiekhaefer June 23, 1953 2,740,368 Irgens, et al. April 1956 2,909,031 Kiekhaefer October 20, 1959 2,911,936 Kiekhaefer November 1959 2,916,007 Kiekhaefer December 1959 3,002,489 Watkins April 1964 3,127,866 Mohr April 1964 3,358,668 Post, et al. December 1967 3,599,594 Taipale August 1971 3,613,631 Wick October 19, 1971 3,750,615 Haft, et al. August 1973 3,782,321 Ellingsen January 1974 3,934,537 Hall January 1976 4,303,401 Sanmi, et al. December 1, 1981 4,507,090 Kobayashi, et al. March 26, 1985 4,615,683 Harada, et al. October 7, 1986 4,666,410 Anselm May 19, 1987 4,714,132 Hattorie, et al. December 1987 4,966,567 Breckenfeld, et al. October 30, 1990 4,979,918 Breckenfeld, et al. December 25, 1990 5,037,340 Shibata August 6, 1991 5,100,351 Shibata March 31, 1992 5,180,319 Shiomi January 19, 1993 ______________________________________
Attention is also directed to the following Japanese applications:
______________________________________ 2-38437 58-192199 60-128094 56-35500 59-230896 60-144813 56-54697 59-230898 63-100399 63-28720 60-128093 ______________________________________
Attention is also direct to U.S. application Ser. No. 782,545, filed Oct. 25, 1991, and U.S. application Ser. No. 665,014 filed Mar. 5, 1991.